Vatonage Revolution
by japaneserockergirl
Summary: Steampunk AU. In a world where Pokemon are banned and a covert organization terrorizes the public, a group of children assume the power of legends to execute justice. Unfortunately, their new powers bring unwanted attention...DISCONTINUED!
1. Sink or Swim PART I

**Greetings, readers! It's japaneserockergirl, with yet another Pokémon fanfiction, this one focusing on the Pokémon Rangers. **

**Before we get on to the actual story, I'd like to establish a few things:**

**1.) This is an AU (alternate universe/reality/history) fanfiction. Therefore, there will be no retelling of any events from the **_**Pokémon Ranger**_** series of games, and therefore, no spoilers.**

**2.) I will be using the characters' **_**Japanese**_** names. To avoid confusion, I will list both their Japanese names and their English names as they emerge in the story, usually prior to the chapter. Any exceptions will be mentioned either prior or after the chapters in which they occur.**

**3.) This story **_**will**_** include Generation V Pokémon, and make a few references to the Unova/Isshu region.**

**4.) All regions and cities mentioned will have **_**English**_** names. In other words, Unova = Isshu.**

**5.) And finally, this is a Steampunk fanfiction, so be prepared for odd inventions, constant references to gears and metals, old-style slang, and a warm, fuzzy Victorian-era feel.**

**UNIVERSAL DISCLAIMER: I, japaneserockergirl, do not own the **_**Pokémon**_** franchise; this includes games, anime, commercials, manga, or any other forms of media I have failed to mention.**

**Names:**

**Minami = Summer**

**Natsuya = Ben**

**Talga = Rand**

**Leila = Leanne**

**Panema = Nema**

**Hayate = Spenser**

**Finally, a huge THANKS to my wonderful beta, Liz Hollow, for reading over this for me!**

**Enjoy!**

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_Vatonage—the act of rekindling __**light **__that has been swallowed by the __**darkness**__. It is an act of __**restoring harmony**__._

-From the book Almia's Forgotten Words in _Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia_

**V**atonage **R**evolution

Chapter 1: Sink or Swim (Part I)

Olivine City was a seaport area whose only redeeming feature was the crystal blue waters that hit its shores, where the merchants drew near every spring and fall. If one were to venture deeper within, they would only find the shadow of a once magnificent place, whose homes were ere one-story hunks of wood, glass, and—if you were lucky to have heating and water—brass. Factory towers loomed over these humble homes, belching smoke into the air, the fumes obscuring the sky. At the edges of the city was the Disposal Site, where junk from nearby Ecruteak and Cianwood was dumped.

It was at this site that Minami Sotomi and her best friend, Natsuya Hanatsu, were digging around for anything of use—old cloth, clock gears, aluminum. As Scavengers, it was their job to retrieve materials for Team Liberation. Normally, Minami hated the job, but when she was paired up with Natsuya, it could be fun.

"Whoa! Look at the size of this baby!" Natsuya cried as he held an extra-large bra like a slingshot. He glanced at his female friend's chest. "Such a shame you'll never grow into it, though…"

"Oh, shut up," Minami snickered, "Leila says I'm due for a growth spurt any day now."

"Sure…"

Minami rolled her eyes and continued digging, only to cut her hand. "Ow! Dammit!" She glared at her now bleeding palm.

"You okay, 'Nami?" Natsuya approached her.

"Yeah; it's just a cut from this stupid rock. Honestly, reeps* make the dumbest things!" Minami picked up the offending object—a flat, obsidian tile with an odd blue symbol engraved upon its surface.

She was about to toss the rock away when Natsuya snatched it from her hands. "Wait; it might be something important." Upon closer inspection, he saw that the engraving was a '4'-like marking linked to an identical marking, the other upside down. "I've never seen anything like it before…"

"Of course you haven't," Minami replied, getting up. "It's _made _by reeps to be _sold_ by reeps to be _bought_ by reeps, only to be thrown out when something new comes along." She shook her head contemptuously.

"It looks so cool…"

"I doubt it's useful."

"Lighten up, 'Nami. IF you do, I'll let you have my dessert at dinner tonight!"

Minami laughed. "Don't bother. I was gonna snatch it from you, anyway."

Suddenly, her ear began beeping. Minami brushed aside her wavy hair, then pressed the hidden earphone closer to her ear. "Hello?"

"Minami? It's Talga. Hayate wants everybody back at the base a.s.a.p. He's expecting a fierce storm tonight. I'm heading there from the port, and I'll meet you and Nat on the way."

"Okay; later, Talga!" She turned to Natsuya. "Let's go."

"'K, but I'm taking this beauty with me."

Minami rolled her eyes again as she started walking. "Whatever floats your root beer…"

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Team Liberation held its Olivine Station deep beneath the city, iron walls embedded into hard, brown rock. Gears and chains lined the iron surfaces, all whirling to help power electricity from the dynamo to the rest of the station. Naked bulbs swayed in the cool subterranean breeze and lit the way from the front corridor to the main clearing, a vast space where people walked to and fro from tunnels that branched out into all directions. Members were hauling in supplies, repairing broken machines, polishing weaponry, or spending rare snatches of leisure time chatting.

Minami, Natsuya, and Talga squinted in the sudden glare of the fluorescent lighting, their eyes straining to adjust. Talga Tachikawa was a man in his mid-twenties with black hair, steely gray eyes, and a small, tame beard. He held the rank of Overseer, in charge of supervising all Scavenger and Trader activity, a position he took to heart. The man was on good terms with everyone and even more so with Minami, his adopted daughter, and Natsuya.

"So, you think this tile is important?" Talga asked as they passed through the clearing and into one of the tunnels.

"I don't think. I _know_. It could be worth thousands!" Natsuya replied.

"Or maybe—and this is going to sound _totally_ crazy—it's just a bath tile," Minami said.

"Why are you so bitter today, Minami? It's unlike you," Talga replied.

"Minami's just mad 'cause it cut her."

"Well, Leila should be able to take care of that."

The tunnels were embedded with steel doors leading into dorms, where Team Liberation members slept and showered. How big each dorm was depended on the number of people living inside. Families made up of three or more members had bigger dorms.

Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, Talga produced a key from his pocket and opened the door. The Tachikawa dorm had a large living room/ kitchenette that held a small table with three chairs, a gas stove, bedrooms, a generator-powered ice box, and a sink. Two doors led to the bedrooms and a third led to the bathroom.

Leila Tachikawa's blue eyes were scanning the pages of a novel when they arrived. Upon seeing the three enter, she embraced her husband and greeted the two teens.

"How was everyone's day?"

"Awesome. Look what I found!" Natsuya held up his prize. "Do you think you can appraise it? It might be worth something!"

"Sure. Let me just take care of Minami first. She seems to have a cut."

After tending to Minami's wound, Leila and the others engaged in some small talk while she analyzed the time. They were on the topic of new taxes when a loud _BOOM!_ burst from the second bedroom and smoke spilled out of the room. The door flew open and an obscure figure stumbled out coughing.

"Panema, were you playing with the dynamo gears again?" Talga inquired.

Panema Tachikawa, eight years old, normally possessed her mother's hair and eyes. But currently, her hair stood on edge, her clothes were covered with dirt, and her glasses lay askew on her face.

"No, Daddy. I was just trying to build a levitation device, but the stupid thing blew up!" The girl took a seat at the table. She sighed. "I don't get what I'm doing wrong; I have all the parts put together, but it won't lift."

"I'm sure you'll get it soon, sweetie." Leila wiped her daughter's face. "Just be patient."

"I know, I know. I just…want to help take down TN."

"Don't we all?" Minami answered, helping to clean her adopted sister.

TN, or Team Nightingale, was a malicious group that ruled over the world with an iron fist. Their rule could be traced back all the way to the aftermath of the Legendary War. They had lured the public with promises of safety and security, when in reality they had been plotting world domination.

"When I was little," Natsuya said with a rueful smile. "I used to tell Granddad that I would beat up all those TN bastards just for him. I intend to keep that promise."

Talga patted his back.

The dinner bell gonged throughout the TL base a few hours later. Leila closed her books and turned off her analytical devices.

"Well, it seems that this time isn't made of any substance in existence. But judging by carbon dating, it's about a hundred years old."

"As old as the War…" Natsuya gasped. "See, 'Nami? Told you it was important!"

Minami chuckled. "All right, all right. You win."

"Perhaps, but will the reeps actually pay for it?" Panema inquired.

A heavy silence fell over the group. Even if someone in the richer parts of Johto believed Natsuya's claims, it would be very unlikely that he would be paid for the artifact. The only thing reeps hated more than opreles** was paying opreles.

The dinner bell gonged again.

"Well, dinner awaits." Natsuya stood up, stretching. He reached for the tile, but Leila snatched it.

"Would you mind if I kept it for a little while? I want to analyze it some more."

"Sure. Keep it as long as you need."

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She floated idly upon ocean waves, face up to the sky. Slowly, Minami found herself being pulled into its watery depths, surrounded by nothing but sea. But this seemed to have no effect on the slumbering girl; in fact, she found the ocean waves to be…_soothing, _like a long-lost security blanket.

'_Minami…'_

_Who's there?_

'_Minami…'_

_What do you want?_

'_You must fight…'_

_Fight what?_

'_Use the power…Minami…'_

The girl awoke with a start, only to find herself in her own dorm. Panting, Minami ran her fingers through her hair, the bangs damp with cool sweat. What had _that_ been about? Who had been that voice? And what had she meant by 'use the power'? What power?

Banging on the door interrupted Minami's thoughts. "'Nami! You ready?"

"Coming, Nat!"

She brushed her teeth, took a quick shower, and threw on some clothes before heading out the door. Natsuya glanced at his friend and asked, "What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have bags under your eyes. Didn't get enough sleep?"

"That's not it. I just had this freaky dream where I was in the ocean and this voice was telling me to 'use the power'." The brunette female's voice became eerie when mimicking the voice's tone.

"Don't you mean 'use the force'?"

"This isn't Galaxy Battles, Nat—"

Suddenly, Panema rushed to their side, hopping up and down excitedly.

"There you guys are! Mama has something to show you!"

With rather inhuman strength, she pulled the two friends down the hall and into Talga's dorm. The main room was in utter disarray, books and devices scattered everywhere. Leila was in the middle of it all, shaking furiously. It was obvious she had had more than her fill of coffee.

Upon hearing the door open, Leila's head snapped up from her current book, a mixture of passionate emotions all at war to express themselves.

"Oh my Arceus! You won't _believe_ how special this tile _is_!"

"Is it worth untold _riches_?" Natsuya cried.

"No, even better!"

"Even better than riches?" both teens asked.

"Yup! It's a Legendary Sign!"

"_Yes!_ It's a _sign!_" Natsuya replied. "Wait…what's so special about that?"

Leila calmed down, her expression the picture of professionalism once more. "You two are aware of the Legendary War, right?"

"Yeah, of course," Minami stated, "It was that huge dispute between all the Legendaries, right?"

Everyone had heard of the Legendary War. A hundred years ago, the Legendary Pokémon had split into factions for various reasons—Darkrai was tired of the stigma placed upon his and the other Dark-types, Raikou was angry over the humans' constant attempts to capture him and the other legendary beasts, the 'minor legendaries' and 'legendary trash cans'*** wanted more attention. These small issues finally exploded into a full-scale war when Jirachi was nearly dissected by humans—a war against mankind and amongst themselves. It was only through the intervention of Arceus that the war finally ended, but not before thousands of lives—mainly human—were lost.

"According to several documents, after the Legendary War and the rise of Team Nightingale, the legendaries tried to stop TN's tyranny and repent for their past actions. Unfortunately, they were unable to destroy the organization."

"Why not? The Legendaries were _way_ stronger than them," Panema inquired.

"The records don't say, I'm afraid. When they failed to beat TN, however, the legendaries hid themselves at various locations throughout the world, with the promise to reveal themselves when the 'right people' came—and these people would be those holding special tiles like Natsuya's."

"The Legendaries are still alive?" Minami answered. "That's great! All that means is that we need to find them!"

"Which we can do with this tile!" Natsuya added, "Leila, do the records say where to find the Legendaries?"

"Well…yes and no. They have riddles leading to the locations of the Legendaries. Each one has a tile and a riddle. This particular one's riddle is…" Leila began flipping through the pages of the book in her lap. "Here." She handed the book to Minami.

The three children looked over the yellowed and stained page, which read:

_Of the islands that were once one,_

_surrounded by deadly seas._

_Behind the land of Tanba****_

_is where you will find me._

_Under the swirling waters_

_only one path is the right way._

_To the deepest core where the guardian of seas***** once was_

_is now where I stay._

"Man, this riddle isn't easy at all," Natsuya muttered, "I mean, there's got to be at least ten islands in the world, and that's _not_ counting the island-regions like Oblivia, Almia, or Fiore."

"And what's Tanba? There's no place like that anywhere," Panema added.

"Well, look at this line: 'Under the swirling waters'. That must mean whirlpools, right?" Minami explained. "So that must mean these islands have whirlpools around them."

"So it must mean the Whirlpool Islands!" Natsuya concluded, "But…where exactly is that?"

"I believe it's by Cianwood," Panema said.

"So that means that this Legendary must be near Cianwood!" Minami exclaimed, feeling excitement rushing through her veins. Finally, here was an opportunity to save Olivine—no, save the _world_. And it was practically next door!

_And to think it was all because of some dumb tile…_

"We've got to go there!" Natsuya said, "Just picture the faces of those TN assholes when we have the Legendary Pokémon on our side!"

"But wait: don't you remember what Mama said? Even combined, none of the Legendaries could beat TN."

"Well, we've got to at least _try_," Minami stated, "I can't live with myself knowing that I'm holding what could be the key to saving the world but not using it."

"You would have to talk to Hayate and see how he feels about it," Leila explained. "But I don't see why you can't go looking for it. We could finally have the solution to our problems."

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**Author's Notes:** And thus we have reached the end of Chapter 1. It was much longer than this originally, but I wanted to save something for the next chapter in order to keep you guys hooked.

_Explanations:_

*reeps—a 'street term' for the wealthy; short for 'rich people'.

**opreles—a 'street term' for the poor; short for 'oppressed people'.

***'Legendary Trash Cans'—a fan term in the Pokémon fandom which refers to Regice, Registeel, and Regirock, which were introduced in Generation III games (Hoenn region games), but were overshadowed by the other legendaries introduced during that time.

****Tanba—the Japanese name for Cianwood City. The only time I will refer to the cities' Japanese names is during a riddle. Think of it as a test of your Pokémon knowledge.

*****'Guardian of the Seas'—the nickname given to Lugia, who was said to once inhabit the Whirlpool Islands and was the one responsible for their separation from one island into several.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please make sure to review! The more reviews I get, the faster I update!

Japaneserockergirl

P.S. Once again, thanks to my beta, Liz Hollow! You should read her stories; they're totally awesome!

I'm serious. Go read them. GO READ THEM NOW. XD


	2. Sink or Swim PART II

_Special Thanks Goes To:_

The Warrior of Many Faces—Yay! My first reviewer! I hope this little twist surprises you! XD

Aleksi Braginski-Jones—Finally! Another Steampunk fan! We must unite and take over the WORLD! Mwah ha ha ha ha!

blackdrac18—Thanks for your favorite!

Liz Hollow—For beta'ing as always! :D

Enjoy the newest installment of _Vatonage Revolution!_

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Vatonage Revolution

Chapter 2: Sink or Swim (Part II)

Pelippers cawed as they flew over the waters that splashed against Cianwood and sailors from all over came flooding into the city on their steamboats, which belched smoke into the salty air. Seeing as both high and low-end traders and merchants arrived at this portside town, the reeps took better care of it. Only small shops, homes, and their rare hotel lined the sandy roads. After all, it was mainly the merchants who kept the economy stable…at least for the reeps.

Minami and Natsuya arrived at Cianwood two days after learning the location of the first Legendary; unfortunately, since Pokémon were _banned_, the two teens had to get there on boat, thus spending a week being tossed around by the relentless waves.

Upon arrival on Cianwood's shores, Natsuya tossed himself onto the sand.

"Sweet, sweet land, I will _never_ take you for granted again."

Minami leapt off the boat, snickering with the merchants they had been traveling with. "Oh, quit exaggerating. It wasn't that bad."

"Says the girl who hurled every five minutes."

"I only hurled once."

"Sure you did. And that _ungodly_ stench was…?"

"Well, I _told_ you to brush your teeth."

The merchants burst into laughter. Minami helped her companion up and both grabbed the luggage. From there, they continued deeper into the city until they stumbled upon a boat shop. The interior of the place had dull white walls adorned with various boat parts, from oars to water-powered engines. Looking further in, the teens spotted a glass desk which boasted gears and random gadgets they had never seen. At the desk sat an elderly man, polishing an astrolabe. Upon hearing the chime that accompanied the door opening, he looked up.

"Ah, children! What can I do for you?"

Minami approached the old man first. "We want to know what kind of boat is the best for a tour around the Whirlpool Islands."

"Good Arceus! Why would you want to do _that_?"

"We've always wanted to go there!" Natsuya replied, "Think about it: the rush of the waves, the ocean waves, the salty air, the thrill of adventure—"

"Not to mention the deadly, swirling whirlpools, the extreme temperatures, and the inevitability of death!"

The two teens froze.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought. Listen, kids, I know that you're young and in need of something to do, but going to those wretched islands is out of the question."

"But sir—"

"No buts! I've lost two children to those demon waters. I'm not about to send two more to their deaths."

Minami sighed. Without the boat, there'd be no way for them to reach the islands. Pokémon were rare, and even if they managed to catch one that knew Surf, there was a high chance it would be tragged*. There was one thing she could do, but it was risky.

_But it might be worth it…_

"Please, sir," she begged, "We're looking for something that could save Johto, save the _world_ from the clutches of Team Nightingale. We heard that it was on the Whirlpool Islands, so we need to get there as soon as possible, before it falls into the wrong hands. Please sir, I know that this all sounds unbelievable, especially from two kids, but you have to help us. If not for us, then for all the opreles suffering under the thumb of Team Nightingale."

The old man stared at Minami intently throughout her monologue, his grim glare wavering as his eyes grew misty. After moments of agonizing silence, the man sighed. How could he argue against such a confession?

"Fine. I'll give you what you need. Can you come back tomorrow? I should have everything ready by then."

The teens smiled. "Sure!" said Natsuya.

"Thank you so much!" Minami added, relieved that the vendor had come to their side.

With that, the friends left the store.

"Heh, heh, heh," the old man chuckled, his voice suddenly much stronger and huskier. He tugged at his face, peeling off a mask to reveal the supple skin of a twenty-something-year old.

"Something that can save the world, huh?"

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"We don't have much food left," Natsuya muttered as he peered to the back of the boat.

He and Minami had been traveling from island to island for a week, encountering entirely foreign worlds. Each location seemed to have a climate and environment of its own—Silver Rock Isle was an icy tundra, Red Rock Isle a boiling land of volcanoes and sand, and Yellow Rock Isle a tropical rainforest. But none of the isles held the Legendary, and each time the two children were nearly sucked in by the furious whirlpools around each location. It was only a matter of time before their luck ran out and they were pulled into a swirling deathtrap. If they didn't die from starvation first…

"How much longer do you think it'll last?" Minami asked, steering the boat. It was a relatively small barge, hydro-powered and operated by a steering wheel.

"One, maybe two days. Think we should go back?"

"Hmm…" Minami wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, the last isle, Blue Point Isle, was only three hours away. Unfortunately, it usually took her and Natsuya days to cover an isle. But if they returned to Cianwood, then they'd have to pay to take another tour. And money issues aside, taking multiple tours to the same place—especially one so dangerous—would arouse suspicion. It was now or never then, she supposed.

"No. We'll just have to ration."

"Okay," Natsuya replied hesitantly. He doubted that they could successfully ration for more than three days, but Minami had never been wrong before, so why not?

Thankfully, Blue Point Isle was a temperate land with calming blue skies over sandy beaches. Minami and Natsuya dragged the ship to shore, and then loaded the last of their food and supplies into their backpacks.

"Okay, this is the last isle, so the Legendary's got to be here!" Minami cried, her determined tone belying her true feelings. She was tired, hungry, and irritable, and to be perfectly honest, the brunette was starting to think that this theory about the Legendaries being in hiding was just a myth. But her stubbornness, desperation, and bizarre dreams kept her going. Each night, she seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the ocean and the voice became clearer and clearer. Minami couldn't help but think that the Legendary was…luring her there. Besides, she and Natsuya had gotten so far, and to turn back now would make everything for naught.

"And just _what_ is this about a Legendary?"

"Are you serious, Nat? We've been traveling for days just to find it—"

"Uh, Minami? That wasn't me…"

Minami froze, her heart plunging into her tightening stomach. "But…if that wasn't you, then who—"

Two shots rang through the air. Minami felt something jab her from behind with enough force to knock her to the ground. Natsuya soon followed, landing on his back. She tried to scream, but nothing escaped her lips. A paralyzing numbness spread through her veins as lethargy pinned her to the ground. Minami's eyes flickered to Natsuya, who lay unconscious, eyes closed, but with no trace of blood upon his body.

_Tran…tranquilizers!_ The brunette realized with horror. Someone had followed them!

Minami groaned, begging her body to get up, to no avail. Vision blurry, she could barely make out two masculine figures decked out in black and silver.

_Team…Night…ingale…_

"Dammit."

Then everything went black.

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A furious headache pounded against her skull as Minami slowly broke through the darkness and into consciousness. The blinding sun shone into her eyes, causing her to turn away, spots in her vision. But the girl recovered quickly enough when she saw the edge of the cliff she was on, leading to a deadly fall into the _biggest_, most _violent_ whirlpools she had ever seen.

Minami pulled her head back. "Ah!"

"Well, well, well. Look who's awake."

_That voice again!_

Minami whirled around to find two men standing before her. Neither was muscular, but they were better fed than she, and in battle, that made all the difference. As if to confirm her earlier suspicions, both had a purple 'N' emblazoned on their uniforms.

"_Nightingale_," she hissed.

Natsuya, who had been tied up as well, began to stir. Groaning, his brown eyes flashed open.

"Huh? What's going on?" He looked around frantically, freezing in place when he spotted the TN agents. The boy's eyes narrowed. "_You…_"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," one of the agents said, "We get it, you ain't happy to see us. Ever think that maybe we aren't happy to see _you_?"

"If you two weren't so suspicious," the other added, "We wouldn't have needed to follow you around. _So_…what are you two up to?"

"Oh, just sightseeing," Natsuya replied.

"Don't give us that crap!"

"Yeah; your _girlfriend_ here mentioned something about a…_legendary._ Where might this legendary Pokémon _be_?"

"I am _not_ his girlfriend, and that's none of your business."

"Besides, we don't even know ourselves, so good luck."

"So that's your attitude, huh?" the first sneered, a sleazy grin plastered on his face.

He shoved Minami down with his boot, pressing the girl against the burning hot earth. Natsuya opened his mouth, but a glare from his friend shut him up. The TN men were _expecting_ them to react.

"So, not a crier, are you?" the agent continued, exerting more force on Minami's neck, constricting her breath. Sweat formed on her face, but she _refused_ to cry.

Angry, the second agent began kicking her stomach. "Cry, bitch, cry!"

Natsuya had to bite his lip to keep from yelling. How he wished he could reach his switchblade! Then they'd learn!

"Oh, forget it, Natsuo," the first agent growled, "She won't spill." His eyes landed on Natsuya, who glared fiercely at him. "But her _boyfriend_ might…given the proper motivation."

Natsuya paled. What did they—?

Minami was seized her ropes, then dangled dangerously over the edge of the cliff.

"'Nami!"

Natsuo laughed. "That's what I thought."

"Now talk! Unless you want your 'friend' here to take a nice bath!"

"I-I have no idea what legendary you're talking about, or even where it would it be if there was one! I _swear_!"

"Being difficult, huh? Guess you don't care about FRIEND!"

The agents hurled Minami off of the cliff.

"MINAMI!"

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Hitting the water felt like hitting a wall of bricks. Before Minami could recover, the whirlpools yanked on her body, dragging her deeper and deeper into the watery vortex. She tried kicking out to swim, but it wasn't enough force to break to the surface, let alone pull her out of the whirlpools' grasp. Instead, the brunette was pulled even further inside. It wouldn't be long before she ran out of air—if she wasn't sucked in first. Desperately, Minami tried to reach her blade in her pocket, but was bound too tightly to grasp it.

_Is _this_ how I'm supposed to die: spinning around in a pool while my best friend gets tortured? Well, that's just great! I was so _stupid_ for thinking we'd actually find a Legendary Pokémon in the middle of _nowhere!_ Well…at least I'll finally get to meet mom and dad…I just hope Natsuya can get out of this mess…_

'_Minami…'_

_What the hell do _you_ want? It's your fault I'm about to die._

The voice seemed amused by this. _'No…you're not.'_

Suddenly, a blinding ray of light burst from within the whirlpool, causing Minami to flinch and turn away.

'_Look.'_

Minami opened her eyes to find a long, cerulean armband engraved with ancient glyphs. The symbol of the two 4s that had been on Natsuya's tile glowed vibrantly over the ancient relic.

'_Minami Sotomi, I, Suicune, bestow upon you the power of water! VATONAGE!'_

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"You assholes! You went too far!"

Natsuya had finally broken free of his ropes and now stood face to face with Minami's murderers, switchblade at the ready. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. She had been his best friend, but he had failed to save her. But he'd fix this—by destroying her killers.

He lunged at the first agent, only to have his fist strike the boy's stomach. Air knocked out of him, Natsuya hit the ground, knife flung from his grasp. He retched on the sand, panting. His fist clenched in frustration as tears ran down his face. He was pathetic. How could he expect to stand a chance against these guys?

Natsuo marched over to the boy, grabbing him by the collar.

"_That's_ your best shot? Man, I dunno why the boss is so scared of the opreles rebelling, Tetsuya. If they're anything like this kid, they don't stand a _chance_!"

Natsuya, ignoring Natsuo's speech, knew an opportunity when he saw one. Snatching his knife, he swiped the blade across his opponent's arm.

"Ow!" Natsuo dropped him. "Son of a _bitch_!" He kicked the boy in the stomach, forcing him to cough up blood. "That's it! Forget takin' ya back to the boss. I'm finishing you off myself!"

"You're not doing anything!"

The TN agents and Natsuya turned. Before them stood a beautiful woman whose long, lavender hair flowed like the waves of the sea and whose fierce crimson eyes glared passionately. A short cerulean dress covered her curvy form and her boots complemented the outfit. The bottom half of the woman's face was covered with a white mask, making her expression a mystery, and her hands were covered with webbed gloves.

"Who the hell is _that_?" cried Tetsuya.

"It…it looks like…" Natsuya murmured.

_Suicune._

"Bubble Beam!" Suicune launched a burst of explosive bubbles at the Team Nightingale agents, sending them flying into the nearest trees. One bubble captured Natsuya, bringing him to the woman's side.

The two agents recovered quickly and got onto their feet.

"What the hell?" shrieked Tetsuya.

"Don't just stand there, dumbass! Shoot!"

They whipped out guns, but Suicune wasn't about to give them the chance to fire.

"Gust!" A burst of various winds from all directions came swirling forth and swept the two men away. There was a faint cry as the agents were chucked across the island, followed by a disturbing silence.

Suicune landed gracefully on the ground, then released the bubble from Natsuya.

"Whoa…" Natsuya shook his head. "Suicune, you've got to go into the water—my best friend's down there!"

Suicune laughed, her eyes filled with mirth. "Ah, I don't think you'll need to worry about _that_."

Before Natsuya could ask what she meant, an orb of light and glyphs surrounded Suicune. When the beams and letters dispersed quickly, revealing Minami, a little battered, but not too worse for the wear.

"'Nami!" Natsuya embraced her. Minami laughed, returning the hug.

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"Okay, so let me see if I understand this correctly: the legendary Pokémon Suicune gave you an armband that allowed you to transform into a humanoid version of herself. Using this form, you were able to successfully stop the Team Nightingale agents and escape from the Whirlpool Islands?"

After their adventure on the islands, Natsuya and Minami had headed back to the Olivine City Team Liberation base. A few days of rest later, the twosome, along with Leila, Panema, and Talga, found themselves standing in the office of the Olivine base. It was a spacious, yet humble, room with only a rug of a map of the world, newspaper clippings tacked to the walls, a bookshelf, and a wooden desk. Sitting before this desk was the head of the Olivine base, Hayate, a young man in his early twenties with bushy green hair and intense—yet friendly—green eyes, who eyed the two teens intently.

"Yup," Natsuya replied, holding up Minami's armband for good measure.

"_Incredible_!" Panema cried, "Can I borrow it? I gotta see how it works!"

"Uh, I don't think that's possible, Pan," Minami answered, "It won't come off." She tugged on it as proof.

"Impressive, indeed," Hayate said. He turned to Leila, "Are there others? The armbands, I mean."

"Well, according to the texts I've managed to scrounge up, it seems so. But they're scattered across the world, and there's no guarantee that we'll be able to find them all—or even the people who can unlock them," Leila explained.

"But this seems to be an opportunity granted to us by Arceus," Hayate said, "If we could just get enough people with enough Legendaries, then maybe, just maybe, we'll finally have the key to stopping Team Nightingale. Leila, I want you and Talga to find as many texts on this subject as you can. I'll get other TL base heads on the lookout as well, so maybe it'll be of some help."

The green-haired man turned to Minami and Natsuya. "As for you two, you guys should get more rest. You've done a great job, and I plan to place you two as the heads of this new committee: Operation RELIC. You are to search the regions for the other Legendary relics and other Legendary relic users and gather them to form an elite fighting force. Of course, we'll all be there to help you with finding the relics and users, but it will be your responsibility to gather them and bring them here. Understood?"

Minami and Natsuya saluted. "UNDERSTOOD!"

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AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And thus we reach the end of Chapter 2! I hope I've cleared up any confusion that anybody may have had.

-I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that the Whirlpool Islands is actually called the 'Whirl Islands' in English. I just thought it would sound better if I stuck to the Japanese title.

*tragged—a combination of the words 'traced' and 'tagged', meaning that the Pokémon have special GPS tracers on them, thus making it harder for people to own Pokémon without getting caught by Team Nightingale.

-For those wondering how hitting water can feel like hitting bricks, it's a matter of momentum: the faster you fall, the more powerful the force of impact is when you hit something, even if it's something soft.

-And in totally irrelevant news, I got a DSi! XD

As always, I hope you enjoyed this installment and I hope even more that you review. The more reviews I get, the faster I update!

japaneserockergirl


	3. Flames of Fury! Crystal Clear! PART I

Greetings, comrades-in-fanfiction! I, japaneserockergirl, return with yet another chapter of Vatonage Revolution! But before we cut to the reading, I'd just like to thank HomestarOtaku, captureongirl, PR Kate, Aleksi Braginski-Jones, and POKEMONFAN 4EVER for their awesome reviews! It is your continued dedication that motivates me to continue writing!

I noticed that some of you thought that Lugia might have been Minami's legendary, which was a _very_ good guess, but sadly, no. It was Suicune! XD Nice try, though. Let's see if you guys can figure out who's legendary is who this time!

(And to Aleksi—they have Steampunk _conventions_?)

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**V**atonage **R**evolution

Chapter 3: Flames of Fury! Crystal Clear! (Part I)

A clear blue sky lay above a lush field whose grassy stems swayed in a hot summer breeze. The chirps of Pidgeot and the gentle fluttering of Butterfree's wings filled the air. In the nearby woods, Pokémon went about their daily business-the Digletts and Dugtrios delving under the earth, the Butterfree and Beedrill collecting pollen, and the grass-types like Sunflora soaking in the sun. Natsuya himself lounged on the grass, enjoying the sun's rays over his body.

"Natsuya!" a feminine voice called.

The five-year-old's brown eyes snapped to attention,and he quickly sat up in the grass; despite this quick action, his mind was still foggy with sleep and thus wasn't sure what he had just heard. Was that his mother just now?

"Natsuya! Where are you?"

Yes, that had to have been his mother. Wiping the crust from his eyes, the young boy looked around for her, eyes on the lookout for her long, wavy hair, her slender form, and her bright eyes. Sure enough, she stood not far from him, her hands cupped around her mouth as she cried out his name. Joyful, Natsuya rushed towards her and buried his face into her dress, thus muffling his cry of 'Mommy!'

His mother chuckled as she gently grabbed his hand and led him back to the two-story cottage that was their home. Natsuya's eyes wandered, capturing every detail of his surroundings, from the Spearow overhead to the Metapod hiding in the grass. His eyes finally fell on his father, who stood by the open door of the house. Waving at them, he entered, followed by his wife and child.

The minute Natsuya went inside, he sensed something was wrong. The air seemed heavy and difficult to breathe and he was suddenly unable to see his mom and dad. The entire room had become scorching hot, causing sweat to form and run down his back. Then, he noticed a cloud of dark gray and realized-

_The house is on fire!_

"Mommy, Daddy! We have to get out of here!" the child shrieked. He began tugging on their hands, but neither would move. "Come on!"

His mother turned to him, a small smile on her face. "Oh, Nat," she chuckled, "you worry too much. We'll be just fine."

The door leading into the adjacent room flew open, unleashing a flurry of hot air. Deep inside, Natsuya could see yellow and orange flames licking the ceiling as they crept closer and closer…

The man took his eyes off of the fire to find both parents grasping his hands tightly as they walked towards the fire, eyes fixed on the roiling flames and their lips curved into smiles. They seemed totally ignorant of the scorching air, which, now thanks to the smoke, was un-breathable, or the sweat that coated their soot-covered bodies from said air.

"No…no," Natsuya mumbled, "No! No, please stop! Mommy, Daddy, stop! Please stop!" Tears began rolling down his cheeks, washing away some of the soot.

A silhouette emerged from the flames. It was bestial in form and seemed to hover over the fire like a demon.

Horrified, the poor child cried, "No! No! NO!"

Natsuya's eyes shot open as he gasped for air, relieved when he could actually breathe. A cold sweat ran down his face. He launched himself upright, searching for his home, his parents, the flames, the beast. But there were only the dark walls of his dorm room and a heavy silence.

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"Natsuya? Natsuya…NATSUYA!"

"Huh?" The brunette jolted upright, nearly knocking over his bowl of oatmeal.

Minami shot Natsuya a look of concern. "Hey, Nat, are you okay? You've been sleepy these past few days."

Natsuya, Minami, and Panema were currently in Team Liberation's cafeteria, one of the most spacious rooms in the Olivine base. Its walls, unlike the rest of the base, were a pure white, with opals lining the middle, creating a circle that shimmered a multitude of colors when lights from the domed ceiling hit them. People in tables surrounded the trio, chatting while they ate breakfast.

"Oh, it's nothing. I've…" Natsuya paused to yawn. "…been staying up late is all."

Minami glared at him, knowing that wasn't the reason, but decided to let the matter drop. Natsuya would tell her what was up when he was ready. "Anyway, Pan says that Leila translated another riddle. Right, Pan?"

Panema nodded. "Mama copied it on a sheet of paper so that the original wouldn't get damaged." She took out a folded paper from her jacket and unfolded it on the table.

It read:

_North of the land of Enju,_

_Is that where I'll find you?_

_In the palace where the guardian of skies is said to perch_

_That, I suppose, is where I'll search._

_You were once in the brother tower_

_Before it was struck by the Original One's power._

_But even now that through the world you roam_

_You never hesitate to return to your home._

"Land of Enju', huh?" Natsuya said, "Now, where have I heard that before…hey, wait a minute! My dad once said that he came from a place nicknamed Enju. I think it was…Ecruteak?"

"Ecruteak, you say? We'll see what the Mapper 2.0 has to say about that."

"The Mapper _2.0_?"

"Yup." Panema pulled out a device that resembled a calculator, but with a polished brass surface, gears for buttons, and a large screen. "Papa told me the technicians upgraded the Mapper so that it compares older maps with more recent ones. We'll see if your guess is right, Nat."

The girl began pressing keys, then watched eagerly as the screen flashed 'LOADING' on its surface. The image was quickly replaced with a map of Johto, a red dot blinking over Ecruteak.

"Just a minute…" Panema typed in more commands. The newer map was immediately superimposed with an older one. The red dot now blinked over Enju _and_ Ecruteak. "You were right, Nat! Ecruteak _is_ Enju."

"So now we know which city to go to, but what about this phrase: 'In the palace where the guardian of skies was said to perch'? There's no palace in Ecruteak," Minami said.

"But there _are _towers," Natsuya replied. "And they _were_ religious places, right? So they could be considered palaces to the people that lived there."

"And since the 'guardian of skies' is Ho-Oh, the riddle must mean the _Bell _Tower," Panema concluded.

"But which legendary is it going to be this time? 'But even now that through the world you roam'—the references the Legendary Beasts, but even if we eliminate Suicune form the list, we still have Raikou and Entei."

Natsuya rubbed his hands eagerly, his exhaustion vanishing at the prospect of adventure. "Well, let's go and find out, shall we?"

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The shores of Olivine were bustling with townspeople as the merchants set up their stands alongside one another. The aromas of various foods mingled with the living exclamation of goods up for sale and the roar of the tide as people shopped. Natsuya took a deep breath as his eyes eagerly took in the scene and he savored the sunlight on his skin. It was times like these that almost made him think that everything was right with the world.

_Let's get down to business. _The boy pulled out a list of supplies Hayate had said they would need for the trip and began collecting the supplies one by one. But he also kept an eye out for the merchant he trusted most…

"Natsuya!"

The brunette turned. Running towards him was another brunette male; however, unlike Natsuya, Hajime Hyogen possessed blue eyes and had much tamer hair. The sun-kissed tan the other boy bore also helped to distinguish him from the Team Liberation member.

"Yo, Hajime! Where have you been?"

Hajime reached Natsuya, panting as he caught his breath. Once he could speak again, he answered, "Looking for you, _duh_! I got a bunch of stuff from that new region Unova, and I think there are some things you'd like." He beckoned the other boy over to his stand, then displayed the goods he had collected on his travels. While Natsuya eyed each item, Hajime noticed the sack of items on the other's back.

"You found something good?"

"Nah, not really. Just stuff to help the TL dynamo run more smoothly."

The lie rolled so smoothly from Natsuya's lips that it shamed him. He hated lying to Hajime, whom he'd come to see as a friend, but he couldn't reveal Operation HOPE to _anyone_ outside of Team Liberation. It wasn't a matter of trust, but of safety. Heaven _forbid_ that Team Nightingale come to learn of HOPE and Natsuya's connections with it, then decide to snatch Hajime for information.

After he got what he needed, Natsuya chatted with Hajime until lunch rolled around, since he knew that Minami would be expecting him back soon.

"Well, I guess it's back to the old junk heap. See you again, Haji?"

Hajime offered his hand. "Same time, same place?"

"Sure!"

Natsuya went to shake it, but once his hand touched Hajime's a powerful shock wove through both boys. Suddenly, the image of a bloodstained battlefield flashed in their minds.

_Corpses coated the ground as Fire and Ice-type Pokémon fought brutally. Some chomped onto their enemies, breaking limbs and tearing flesh, their teeth splattered red. Others launched attacks that burned their victims alive or impaled them with icicles._

_Over the chaos stood Entei and Articuno, both legendaries glaring furiously at the other. Articuno extended its powerful wings and unleashed a powerful screech as Entei crouched down, growling before both Legendaries lunged—_

Hajime and Natsuya were thrust back into reality with a shove. The two jumped back from each other as they took in the scene they had witnesses.

The former recovered first. "Did you…see that?"

Natsuya had indeed, but wasn't sure how to respond. _Why_ had they seen such a terrible scene? And what did this mean for him? For Hajime? Whatever they had just seen must have been of some importance; otherwise, why would they have seen it? _But what is so important about this scene?_ "I…I'm not sure…"

An awkward silence fell over them until Natsuya finally said, "Well…I'll be seeing you?"

"Yeah, sure." _Something tells me sooner rather than later…_Hajime thought as he watched Natsuya stroll away.

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Hours later, Hajime was still pondering the vision he had shared with Natsuya. A battlefield with only Pokémon, one of the legendary birds attacking one of the legendary beasts, and all those _bodies…_The brunette fought the bile that crept up his throat.

The boy was currently in his room aboard the S.S. Scavenger, a ship that held merchants from all over the world. The captain and his crew were wealthy merchants who had decided to adopt struggling merchants and help them earn more money by having them travel to various regions throughout the year and establish an open Market that lasted for a month per region. This allowed the merchants not only to find and sell merchandise, but to travel as well. Hajime loved seeing the world aboard a ship, with the ocean spray on his face and the crisp scent of salt water in his nostrils.

His room, like most merchants' onboard, was simply furnished, with a writing desk, a bed, a small wardrobe closet, and a wall clock. The ceiling held a map of the world, with dots marking merchant hotspots. It was this that Hajime stared at while he rested in bed, as if the yellowing map could provide all the answers to the questions in his mind.

_Why did we have a vision like that? Does it mean something, or was it just a coincidence…no. It _had_ to have meant something if we _both _experienced it. But what?_

Hajime shifted, trying to get into a more comfortable position. When that failed, he sighed. _Until I see Nat again, I won't know. Something tells me that he understands what's going on._

But would Natsuya return the next day? It seemed like he had everything he needed and his visits were the only time Hajime could come in contact with him. Team Liberation didn't exactly boast about their whereabouts. In fact, Hajime wasn't even supposed to _know_ that Natsuya was involved with them. He sighed again, then snatched one of the things he had bought from his satchel.

_There's no use pondering over lost causes, I guess…_

As he carefully removed the paper wrapped around his purchase, Hajime noticed something strange: the inside had markings on it. He continued peeling the paper and inspected it more closely.

_It's someone's writing!_

Curious, the boy headed over to his desk and turned up his gas lamp, better illuminating the room. The paper was slightly smudged, but still readable. Sadly, to Hajime's chagrin, it was Unown script.

"Man, how am I supposed to read this?"

Suddenly, the words seemed to take a life of their own, glowing as they lifted right off the page and into the air. The symbols swirled around, transforming and rearranging themselves before his very eyes. Awestruck, Hajime rubbed his eyes and pinched himself, only to realize that this was actually _happening._

The words returnedto the paper and ceased glowing. Hajime, upon closer inspection, realized they were now in his language. Pleased, he read:

_"On twin lands_

_Is where it stands_

_Deep down below._

_To reach it through twists and turns_

_A brave one must dare to go._

_Of puzzles, there's quite a few._

_But once you make it,_

_It will be smooth sailing through and through…"_

_Oh my Arceus…this must be some riddle for treasure!_

Hajime had heard many stories about ancient pirates who had hidden treasure that could only be found by solving a riddle they had written. And he had been lucky enough to find one! If he could just get his hands on this treasure, he could pay off his family's debts, get his sister a good doctor, and maybe—just maybe—have his own ship! But there was only one problem…

"I have no idea what the hell this riddle's talking about!"

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Once again, a HUGE thanks goes to Liz Hollow for beta'ing this chapter—and in one day, no less! (I lol'd at your Mulan reference. Ah, I just love that movie…)

And thanks to my loyal readers for…well, reading, duh! But don't forget to review! Your constructive criticism and your comments help make this story better (and help get it updated faster, too!).

Japaneserockergirl

8/24/11


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